1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of fume containment sytems and, more particularly, to a highly portable and disposable fume and evidence bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many years, objects could be enclosed and sealed within a bag using various sealing devices so as to produce an airtight environment. Bags such as that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,983 to Miller et al. are able to house the object well, but lose their shape due to flimsy material and lack of a supporting structure to provide shape retention. In use, the overall bag takes on an undefined globular shape and, there being nothing to hold the bag away from the object contained therein, it is often difficult to conduct an effective investigation of materials within the bag.
Other prior art sealing chambers are provided with a frame to define an investigation area, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,121 to Koria and U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,161 to Atkinson. But these devices are not easily transported and do not allow for cost-effective disposal after a single use.
There are no attributes built into present bags which allow one to handle and work with the contents of the bag as if the bag were not even there. With the ever-demanding need to isolate objects for investigation or to prevent contamination, and to do so inexpensively, a need exists for a portable and disposable unit defining a secure, virtually airtight environment for the investigation and study of objects therein.
In view of the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to overcome the difficulties of examining objects within a sealed-bag environment by providing an inflatable air tube frame that defines a three-dimensional investigation enclosure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a readily collapsible and inflatable examination unit that can be easily transported and cost-effectively disposed of after a single use, while also having sufficient durability to be used repeatedly.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional enclosure having a readily reseal able access port that may be manually operated easily and quickly.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an examination unit having built-in gloves to manipulate objects contained within the unit so that the user is not exposed to the objects contained in the unit while also not further contaminating the objects.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sealed examination unit that is not complex in structure and which can be manufactured at low cost but yet efficiently provide an isolated environment for object storage, transport and investigation.
In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention is directed to a disposable examination unit having walls of substantially transparent plastic material coupled to an air tube frame that, when inflated, defines a generally rectangular enclosed chamber. Access to the chamber is gained through a resealable port that facilitates easy entry and exit, as well as good sealing of the air within the chamber. Preferably built into at least one wall of the chamber is a pair of gloves that allow a user of the examination unit to insert his or her hands into the chamber to handle an object therein while being separated therefrom by the glove material. The examination unit is collapsible for space-saving storage and transport, and then readily inflated to provide a suitable closed environment for storage and transport and any number of treatments or investigations requiring that an object remain isolated from the user.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.